William Beloe
Rev. William Beloe (1756 - April 11, 1817) was an English poet, miscellaneous writer, and Anglican clergyman. Life Beloe was born at Norwich. the son of a tradesman, and received a liberal education. After a day school in Norwich he was schooled under the Rev. Matthew Raine, who taught at Hartforth; and subsequently under Samuel Parr, whom he describes as "severe, wayward, and irregular". His departure from Parr's school at Stanmore was hastened by quarrels with his schoolfellows. At Benet College, Cambridge (now Corpus Christi College) he got into trouble by writing epigrams. Parr, on becoming headmaster of Norwich grammar school, offered him the assistant mastership. Beloe held this post for three years, but seemingly unhappily. During his time at Norwich Beloe married, and then went to London, where he worked for publishers. In 1793 he established, with Robert Nares, the British Critic, the first 42 volumes of which were partly edited by him. He also, according to his biographer in the Gentleman's Magazine, "gave his assistance in editing various books of considerable popularity and importance, which it is less expedient to specify", doubtless because the reputed authors' obligations to him were too extensive. In 1796 Beloe was presented to the rectory of Allhallows, London Wall, and in 1803 became keeper of printed books at the British Museum. Being held responsible for thefts by a person named Dighton, he was dismissed from the Museum in 1806. He died on 11 April 1817, embittered by ill-health and other circumstances not precisely stated. Family In 1780 Beloe married in Norwich Mary Anne Rix, daughter of William Rix of London. Of their children, four sons survived him, and a daughter Margaret, who married a William. Margaret Louisa Harriet Beloe who married William Scott was a granddaughter, son of William Beloe, and mother of Clement William Scott the theatre critic. Writing One of Beloe's publisher commissions was to translate Samuel Parr's preface to Bellendenus into English, a piece of work that impressed Richard Porson. He successively brought out translations of Coluthus, Alciphron (with Thomas Monro), Herodotus, and Aulus Gellius (preface by Parr); and co-operated in William Tooke's Biographical Dictionary. In 1795 he published 3 volumes of miscellanies. Beloe persevered in his Anecdotes of Literature and Scarce Books, started with his appointment at the British Museum. Two volumes appeared in 1806; and by the assistance of Earl Spencer, the Bishop of Ely, and other patrons, he published four more, the last appearing in 1812. The work was supported by the advice of Isaac Reed. The Sexagenarian; or, Recollections of a literary life, Beloe's final work, had just passed the press at the time of his death, and was published immediately afterwards under the editorship of Thomas Rennell. It caused a furore. Samuel Butler, head master of Shrewsbury School, criticised it severely in the Monthly Review, and Parr, in the catalogue of his library, wrote he was "compelled to record the name of Beloe as an ingrate and a slanderer". Via Robert Southey's library, a key was published in 1860 to some of those alluded to indirectly in the book. Publications Poetry *''Ode to Miss Boscawen''. London: O. Wilkie, 1783. *''Poems and Translations''. London: J. Johnson, 1788. *''Julia; or, Last follies''. London: W. Bulmer, 1798. Non-fiction *''The State of Emmanuel Hospital''. London: 1784. *''A Sermon Preached at the Parish Church of Allhallows, London Wall, on Wednesday, October 19, 1803: Being the day appointed for a general fast''. London: F. & C. Rivington, 1803. *''Anecdotes of Literatur and Scarce Books''. (6 volumes), London: F. & C. Rivington. Volume I, 1807; Volume II, 1807; Volume III, 1808; Volume IV, 1810; Volume V, 1811; Volume VI, 1812. *''A Dictionary of Anecdotes''. London: B. Macmillan, 1811; 3rd edition, London: Sherwood, Neely, & Jones, 1816. *''The Sexagenarian; or, Recollections of a literary life'' (edited by Thomas Rennell). (2 volumes), London: F.C. & J. Rivington, 1817. Juvenile *''Incidents of Youthful life; or, The true history of William Langley''. London: R. Faulder, 1790; London: Darton & Harvey 1792, 1807. Collected editions *''Miscellanies: Consisting of poems, classical extracts, and oriental apologues''. (3 volumes), London: F. & C. Rivington, 1795. Translated *Coluthus, The Rape of Helen; from the Greek. London: T. & J. Egerton, 1786. *''A Free Translation from the Preface to Bellendenus''. London: Stafford & Davenport, for T. Payne, 1788. *Alciphron, Alciphron's epistles; now first translated with T. Monro. London: G.G.J. and J. Robinson / Leigh and Sotheby / R. Faulder, 1791. *Herodotus, The History. (4 volumes), London: 1791, 1806; London: Luke Hansard, for Leigh & S. Sotheby, J. Sotheby, et al, 1807; Philadelphia: Edward Earle, 1814. *Aulus Gellius, The Attic Nights. (3 volumes), London: J. Johnson, 1795. Edited *''The British Critic: A new review'' (edited with R. Nares). (42 volumes), London: 1793-1813. A new and general biographical dictionary Beloe and others. 15 vols, 1798-1810. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:William Beloe, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Apr. 28, 2016. References * Endnotes: **''The Sexagenarian'' **Preface to Anecdotes of Literature **''Gent. Mag.'' 1817 **''Annual Register'' 1817 **Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, vol. ix. **''Bibliotheca Parriana'', p. 393 Notes External links ;Poem *Ancient Poetrie" ;About *Rev. William Beloe (1758-1817) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 * "Beloe, William" Category:English writers Category:1756 births Category:1817 deaths Category:People from Norwich Category:Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge